Beer delivery by drone? Enter Minnesota (VIDEO)

A Minnesota-based brewing company has come up with a new delivery system to make its winter lager more accessible during the cold months, delivering beer by drone.

Minnesota residents apparently really love their beer, and one of their local breweries has decided that the cold winter months should not be an impediment in getting a good lager, even if you don't want to go to the store.

After watching a 60 Minutes bit on Amazon's same-day delivery system, which employs drones to get the job done, Minnesota-based brewery Lakemaid has decided that it could use such a delivery system as well. Consequently, the Lakemaid Brewing Company has developed its very own beer-delivery drone.

Lakemaid has posted a video of its successful and interesting project, showing how it delivered a 12-pack of its popular frosty Winter Lager to an ice fishing location near Lake Millie Lacs.

The drone had the 12-pack strapped to it and took off to the delivery spot, successfully carrying its package to the desired destination. The video sparked mixed reactions, however. While some found it very cool and would love to have their beer delivered by a drone, others have expressed concerns regarding privacy, as droned are often used for military surveillance purposes.

Aside from concerned citizens, the FAA is among the most prominent forces against this whole drone delivery project. The FAA has very strict rules when it comes to unmanned flying vehicles, and Lakemaid's effort was deemed illegal, according to a report.

More specifically, the use of delivery drones per se is not illegal, but the FAA's restrictions are quite strict. Drones should not fly over 400 feet high, and should not fly over populated areas, for instance. The devices must weigh less than 55 pounds and can be used for delivery, but not for commercial purposes.

While we're sure it was quite recreational to see a drone deliver a 12-pack of beer, there is a strong commercial factor in this equation. This puts Lakemaid's effort in violation of the FAA's restrictions. Consequently, the brewery has received a cease and desist order from the FAA, citing the violations in question.

As it turns out, beer delivery by drone may not be an option available in the very near future, but you can't say Lakemaid hasn't tried. Moreover, despite all criticism and FAA warnings, Lakemaid surely got some good publicity. Check out the video below to see the brewery's drone in action: